Resilience
July 9, 2009
We had an activity last time in my STS class where we asked to enumerate ways on how we can become resilient to change. The times we are living in are times where the rate of change is rapid and getting more rapid still.
I later found answers from the May-June 2009 issue of Foreign Policy magazine. Amazingly, half of my answers were similar to those I contributed in the group activity (does this suggest that I think the same way as they do?)
- Diversity – Don’t rely on a single solution.
- Redundancy – Always have a backup or contingency plan; never rely on a single plan of escape (didn’t think of that).
- Collaboration – Enjoin the help of other people; communicate and share information. Be helpful and make more friends!
- Transparency – Share your plans and preparations and listen when people point out the flaws (didn’t think of that).
- Fail gracefully – Admit your failures and allow people to help you out.
- Flexibility – Have a mindset open to change; don’t be afraid to try new things.
- Foresight – You can’t predict the future, but you can anticipate certain things just by reading a P 7.00 tabloid, turning on the television, listening to AM radio or clicking a few times. If all else fails, at least you’ll get an hour’s worth of communication battery to keep you in social orbit.
The article further states that sustainability is much better than resiliency – sustainability operates in a state of determined factors while resiliency operates in a changing environment. Resiliency mitigates the damage (be it personal or national) that abrupt change can wreck.
Reference:
Cascio, J. (2009, May-June). Resilience. Foreign Policy, p. 92.
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